


In Honour of National Coming Out Day- Steve's Decision

by mage_girl



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Clint in chaps, F/F, M/M, Midgardian dating rituals at man night clubs, National Coming Out Day, Polyamory, Pride baby!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-10
Updated: 2012-10-10
Packaged: 2017-11-16 01:06:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/533793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_girl/pseuds/mage_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, doing the right thing means listening to one's heart. <br/>And disrobing for a photo shoot. <br/>And hearing Thor describe 'Midgardian dating rituals.' <br/>And being proud to be who one is.</p><p>Baby, he was born this way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Honour of National Coming Out Day- Steve's Decision

**Author's Note:**

> Last year, I came out of the closet fully for the first time, ever. I'd been partially 'hidden' for 20 years. That's a long time to hide who I truly am.
> 
> This is for all of the people who are stepping out this year, for their bravery, their strength, their pure awesomeness.
> 
> This is for the kids who are afraid to come out this year. That's OK. Just know that we're here for you. We're your allies, your peers, your Queer community. 
> 
> This is for the kids who've been bullied because of their sexuality/gender identity. You are absolutely a marvel, amazing, and just fine the way you are. You ARE loved. Please, don't ever think elsewise.
> 
> To the kids who've committed suicide because the pain was so much: I've cried for you and your family and friends. You are always in my heart and on my mind. 
> 
> And this is for those who bully. Fear is a hard thing and it affects you in ways you might not be proud of if you take the time to think about it, and to grow beyond it. I hope that you can overcome your fears and get to know who you hurt. I think you'll find we're just like you....a human being.
> 
> My thanks, always, to aphrodite_mine for beta'ing this story that's so close to my heart.
> 
> Happy Coming Out Day, everyone! I'm so proud to be part of our vast, diverse, multi-layered community.

Steve sat down next to Tony and said, ‘I think we should do it.’

Tony just looked at Steve, a heavy-lidded look that Steve usually associated with kissing, hands lingering on bodies, and whispers of encouragement. This wasn’t that situation and he fidgeted a little under Tony’s gaze.

Clint cleared his throat from across the room, catching Steve’s attention and diverting his thoughts. ‘I thought you were uncomfortable with the idea.’

Steve nodded. ‘Fair enough. I was. And then, I read this article.’He nodded his head at the magazine in front of him. The headline was ‘Bullying of queer teens a reason for suicide.’ 

Clint said, ‘Yeah, I can see where that would affect you.’ He twitched his shoulders and leaned forward to look at the accompanying pictures. ‘These kids are too young to be dying like this. Being attracted to someone of the same sex isn’t ever a reason for teasing or bullying. You falling in love with Stark and Banner and being run ragged between the two? Now THAT is a reason for teasing.’

Coulson, who was sitting next to Clint and had his arm around him, said, ‘Do you want me to give them a call, Cap? I can make it happen.’ He pinched Clint’s arm and smiled slightly at the ‘yelp’ of response he received and at Steve’s slight twitch upwards of his mouth.

Steve gave one last look at Tony who hadn’t said a word but whose mouth twitched upwards in a small smile. ‘Do it. The next time we have some free time, let’s book it.’

Clint grinned. ‘Good job, Steve. I’m in, too. You can’t be the only ones taking it for the team. Sides, it’d be hypocritical of me to not stir up some trouble. You having too much fun isn’t fair, either. Can’t be a fun hog.’

Natasha snorted as she came into the room. ‘Fun hog? What is Clint planning on doing, now?’ she asked.

‘I’m joining Steve and Tony on the interview with that magazine who contacted Tony a couple of weeks ago. I’m going to try and convince my boyfriend to join me, too. I can promise him all sorts of salacious pleasures in return.’

‘Oh, ugh. Please don’t give us the details,’ spoke up Tony. He smiled fully at Clint while Coulson folded his arms and quirked an eyebrow at Clint.

‘What details?’ asked Bruce who entered the room, leaning over to give Tony a kiss. Tony ran his fingers down the side of Bruce’s face gently before grasping at his fingers. Bruce sat down next to him, entwining his fingers with Tony’s.

‘Barton is promising Coulson some heavy body worship in return for interviewing with Steve and Tony,’ answered Natasha.

Bruce laughed. ‘Did Clint mention that he’d have to try real hard since it’s going to include me as well?’

Steve stood up. ‘Wait...you’re going to be there, too?’ he asked.

Bruce looked up at him, his expression mild. ‘Since I’m the third person in the relationship, I’d only think it’d be fair if I was part of this. I wouldn’t want you to bear this all by yourself, Steve. We are all in this together, the good and the bad, remember?’

Steve walked over to Bruce and sat down next to him, putting his head on his shoulder. Bruce wrapped his arm around Steve’s shoulder and kissed his temple. ‘I know this is hard for you. I’m really proud of you,’ Bruce told him, smiling.

Steve took a deep breath in and let it out. He thought back to when Tony had first broached the subject two weeks ago.

*****

Tony came into the family room, talking on his Starkphone. He was followed by a bemused Bruce and also by Coulson, who had his appointment calendar in hand. 

Steve was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine. He looked up and smiled at Tony and Bruce. ‘Hey...what’s going on?’ he asked Coulson who sat down across from him, holding the appointment book.

‘Tony is talking to the editor of his favourite queer magazine,’ informed Coulson. He smiled at Bruce who sat down next to Steve, throwing an arm around his shoulder and sighing with contentment.

‘Yeah. We’re going to fight fire with fire, or at least, that’s what Stark says,’ said Bruce with a wry smile at the corners of his mouth. 

‘What do you mean?’ asked Steve, although the queasy feeling in his stomach told him what he needed to know when Bruce said, ‘those photos.’

Ah. The photos. A photographer from one of the more aggressive rags had snapped photos of them together, Steve with his arms around both Tony and Bruce’s waists, himself in the middle. He was laughing at something Tony had said, his face turned towards Tony. Bruce had arced his body so he could also see Tony’s face and he had a wide smile on his own face. Their eyes were bright and animated; their body language spoke volumes to how easily they interacted with each other. Tony had one hand in the air, gesticulating. The other was behind Steve’s back. Bruce had one of his hands held up while his other hand also was behind Steve’s back. 

It was a lovely picture of the three of them and Steve would have liked it for his own sentimental reasons if the photo hadn’t run along with the caption: ‘Are they or aren’t they?’ 

Steve shouldn’t have been surprised. He had plenty of time to catch up with the twenty-first century and while he liked a lot of things, he noted that some things hadn’t changed in 70 years. Like people who had nothing better to do than stir up trouble. And others who eagerly fed into it.

He’d received emails from people who were thrilled that he had met not just one but two nice men and if he’d send them photos of the three of them in more, shall we say, intimate situations, they’d be ever grateful. He’d been amused at those. He was less amused from the emails by people who were ashamed he was the symbol of America and that he was a poor hero to the youth of today. Some of the emails held language that angered him. Some of the emails made him want to cry with the vitriol and hatred. Overall, those emails he simply deleted and wanted to forget about.

He should have known that Tony would have received the same type of emails. And Tony, being Tony, was ready to take the haters on. Steve would have preferred to have let it be. It wasn’t that he didn’t like what people were saying. It was more that he felt if things were let go, the talking would die down and people would find something new to latch onto; he’d seen it happen before and he was hoping it’d happen again.

Except now, there were photographers at all the events they went to. Coulson was even getting cranky with the pushiness and rudeness. That was a bad sign. Coulson and Barton were private about their relationship. Steve knew that they’d talked about getting married and he was happy for them. Their relationship worked and Coulson would take the hatemongering for only so long.

So when Tony was contacted by the editor of his favourite queer magazine to give them an ‘exclusive’, Coulson was ecstatic about it. Steve, on the other hand, not so much.

He just wanted to let things be. He wasn’t comfortable putting himself out there like that. He gave of himself as Captain America every time they went out to fight some new threat. He went to public relation events. He did a few dog and pony shows for Stark Industries and sat in on Bruce’s press conferences for some scientific breakthrough Bruce had done and Steve understood at least some of it. 

Besides, he grew up in a time and place where those sorts of things weren’t publicized and weren’t talked about and he still was leery of telling people that not only was he in a relationship with a man, he was in a relationship with two men at that. He could imagine almost every man in his old fighting unit with their mouths hanging open. Except for Bucky, of course. His heart twinged. Bucky would slap him on the back, call him ‘you sly fox’ and buy him a drink. God, he missed him.

Steve asked Tony if he could talk to him about this and Tony said good bye to the editor on the phone and gave Steve his attention, a worried Bruce and Coulson on the sidelines. Steve told Tony what he’d been thinking and watched the light leach out of Tony’s eyes. Coulson winced but nodded with understanding. He knew what Steve was trying to say. Tony’s tone said that he knew as well but he wasn’t buying it.

‘Come on, Steve. I’ve never known you to back down from something like this. This isn’t...this isn’t like fighting Dr. Doom or anything...it’s personal. It hits us right at our hearts. You and me and Bruce...we don’t have anything to hide,’ argued Tony.

‘I didn’t say we did,’ said Steve, evenly. ‘I’m saying we don’t need to feed the beast anymore than it’s been fed. We should go around and do our business. We don’t need to be the poster children for this, too!’

‘Poster children? What the hell is the matter with that? Jesus, Steve, you were a ‘poster child’ for buying war bonds. You sold the American Dream back in the 40’s. And it was for something else, for a cause that was important, yeah...but isn’t this important? Isn’t this worth doing?’

‘Stop it. I hated dressing up like a...like a performing monkey. All those people there, clapping me on the back, glad handing me...and I’m fighting and seeing my friends die and seeing what greed does to people. It changes them, Tony. It makes them less and if they aren’t strong enough to begin with, it turns them into someone they don’t know anymore. I’m not saying this isn’t worth doing but haven’t we done enough? We risk our lives to keep people safe. We go to events and we smile at everyone and we talk to people. It’s not like we’re not out there,’ argued Steve.

‘Out there. Hah. Nice. We’re doing all the safe things, Rogers. We’re safe, we’re comfortable, we’re not threatening to anyone because people are seeing what they want to see and we are being who they want us to be. But that’s just one part of me. There’s the me that loves you and the me that loves Bruce. There’s the me that’s proud of being with both of you. I don’t give a rat’s ass about being safe. You asked me once if I’d put myself out there, if I’d lay on the wire for others. I told you I’d rather cut the wire, right? In this case, I’ll lay down on it every single time,’ Tony said intensely, slowing down his speech, enunciating the last three words and drawing them out.

‘That’s not fair, Tony. Don’t throw my words back in my face,’ said Steve, his hands in fists. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to punch Tony or grab the front of his shirt in his fists. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to hurt him or kiss him, taste his mouth. 

Tony stepped forward, getting into Steve’s space; his mouth was mere inches from Steve’s and his breath puffed out onto Steve’s lips. ‘I’d rather get in your face. I’d rather kiss you senseless. I’d rather touch you the way you like being touched. Instead, we’re fighting about something that shouldn’t be a problem for you. We’re talking about our lives.’

‘Yes...yes, we are. And I have the right to my life, Tony. That’s what I’m trying to say. I have the right to live my life the way I want. I want my life with you and Bruce. I want my life with the rest of the Avengers. Even with Agent Coulson, over there, running it.’ Steve quirked a smile Coulson’s way and Coulson’s mouth turned up at the corners a wee bit.

‘That’s what I fight for, Tony. The right to live my life and for everyone to live their lives the way they want to. Without having nosy busybodies poke their nose into other peoples’ business!’ Steve cried, his voice ragged with frustration.

‘Steve, nosy busybodies are going to poke their noses wherever they wish to. Us telling them to stop won’t work. It takes us taking the wind out of their sails to grant us that measure of peace you want. We tell them about us, we show them we’re proud of who we are and who we’re with and they’ll have to deal with it. Aren’t...aren’t you proud of us? Aren’t you proud of me?’ asked Tony, an unexpected ache in his throat and vulnerability in his voice.

Steve stared at Tony for a moment, his eyes blurring over with tears. ‘I never have not been proud of you,’ he told him. He nodded to Coulson and Bruce and turned and walked away.

After that, there was a strained silence between them. Bruce didn’t say a whole lot to Steve. He only held him when Steve broke down once in his arms. Steve looked at his face, at his dark eyes that didn’t give anything away and asked him, ‘Are you upset with me, too?’ Bruce shook his head, ‘no.’ He enfolded Steve back against him and whispered, ‘It’s going to be OK.’ Steve imagined that’s what Bruce told himself as a young, scared boy over and over again. He cried again, for Bruce and for himself and all they lost.

Coulson didn’t say anything to him and he must have said something to Barton, probably along the lines of ‘mess with this and I’ll taze your ass’ because Clint didn’t say anything, either. He just watched with his hawk’s clear gaze and kept his mouth shut.

Natasha and Pepper were aware of the undercurrents but they didn’t say anything, either. Natasha sparred with Steve and he was reminded again of how she showed she cared without saying a word. Pepper kept Tony busy with Stark Industry and Stark Technology and Stark anything.

Thor, being Thor, wasn’t one to tiptoe around. He wanted to know why Midgardians were so squeamish with sexuality. He also wanted to know if the ones who were the most vociferous in their complaining had something they were hiding. Steve had to smile at the last comment. He also hid a smile when Tony proclaimed the line, ‘thou protesteth too much’ and had Thor laughing. 

Tony didn’t stop talking to Steve, exactly. He was polite. He still kissed him in the morning and throughout the day when he felt like it. He made small talk about sports and movies and music. He didn’t bring up the interview again. There was a small distance between them that seemed like it traversed universes. Steve didn’t know how to put it right and he was in quiet agony as the days went on.

Two weeks passed by and then, when he went by the newsstand where he picked up the paper the old fashioned way, he saw another magazine whose headline caught his eye. He picked it up, looked at the cover, and opened it to find the table of contents. He turned the page to the article and scanned it quickly. Anger--pure, cleansing, and demanding--coursed through his veins. He thanked the newsperson, bought the magazine and his newspaper, and made his way back to the Tower.

He went to his, Tony’s, and Bruce’s bedroom and sat on the bed, reading the article more thoroughly. He looked at the faces of the young adults and teens who committed suicide. He read their life stories and saw the photos of their families and friends. Even though some of the photos were small, he could see the grief and anguish in their faces. He read politicians’ statements. Some decried the bullying; others seemed to encourage it. After reading a leader of faith’s assertion that ‘homosexuality is a sin against God’, Steve had had enough.

He crumpled the magazine in one hand and went stalking through the Tower to find the others. He specifically went to find Tony.

*****

Now, Tony’s smile broke over his face like the sun rising. He leaned across Bruce’s chest and cupped Steve’s face in his hand. ‘Thank you,’ he said, kissing Steve gently, his mouth nibbling at Steve’s lower lip. 

Steve grinned. He wasn’t done yet. ‘I also want photos. Lots of photos. If we’re going to come out of the closet, we’re going to go all out. I want to show kids all over the world they have nothing to hide.’

Barton cackled. ‘Are we talking nice photos or...’ he let his voice trail off, suggestively.

Steve’s grin was so wide, his cheeks ached. ‘Or, definitely,’ he said, laughing when Barton let loose a whoop and Coulson groaned in anticipation. ‘But some nice photos, too. We don’t want people thinking we’re entirely deviant.’

‘Oh, hell with that!’ cried out Barton. ‘I’m breaking out my leather chaps.’

*****

There was nothing but silence in the Tower as the Avengers assembled, each with a glossy double sized issue magazine in eager hands. They were given the first magazines from the printer. The official issue date wasn’t until the next day. 

Steve smiled at the cover photo of himself, Bruce, Tony, Barton, and Coulson on the front cover, all of them with their arms around their partners. In his case, he was standing in the middle with each of his arms around Bruce and Tony. Barton and Coulson stood next to them, Coulson’s arms around Barton’s waist. They all were smiling.

He opened up the magazine to the ‘exclusive, behind the scenes lives of the Avengers’ story and started to read. He remembered it was a little chaotic as the reporter sat down amongst them and Tony had asked Jarvis to record everything for the reporter, video and sound feed. That way, questions could be asked and the reporter could treat it as a casual conversation amongst friends. At least, that’s how Tony described it. What it was, in reality, was a three ring circus. Thor chipped in his observations about ‘Midgardian dating rituals at those man night clubs’ and had them rolling in hysterics. Tony, Bruce, and Steve answered questions about their relationship. Coulson and Barton were hilarious in their own way; Coulson playing straight man (so to speak) to Barton’s hijinks. 

At the end, Tony gave a tour around the Tower, letting the awestruck reporter have a peek into the bedroom he shared with Steve and Bruce (custom built bed, large enough for all three of them to sprawl out comfortably), the training room (where Steve and the reporter went around a couple of rounds with boxing gloves), and down to where Dummy ruled supreme in the lower level. 

After that, they all piled into a limousine and went to the magazine’s headquarters for a photo shoot. It started off innocuously enough; all the guys were in jeans and nice button down shirts. Except for Barton who wore a hoodie and for Coulson who wore his usual three piece suit with accessories. 

After those photos were taken, Steve stripped down to his underwear as did Tony and Bruce. They posed together, intertwined, on a rug, their bodies close together. Barton brought along his chaps and put them on, along with a leather harness, and a collar. Coulson sat down in a majestic chair of velvet and iron, Barton sprawled at his feet. The contrast between the professionally dressed Coulson and the leather themed Barton was scorching. Steve had a feeling that those photos would be very popular.

They were thanked profusely and promised the first copies off the press as soon as they were ready. 

Steve skimmed the article until he came to the part where the reporter asked him why he thought it was important that he be in this magazine and not something more mainstream. ‘National Coming Out day is coming up pretty quick. I’ve lived in the closet, so to speak, for a while, now. I feel it would be a disservice to the youth in this country and around the world for me to not be honest with them and with everyone. Being queer isn’t something to be ashamed of or to hide. It certainly isn’t something to be bullied about or even killed over because someone is attracted to someone of the same sex. Being bisexual or transsexual isn’t ‘less’ than being gay or being lesbian. There are problems in the queer community with accepting everyone’s sexual identity and that needs to be fixed. There should be no hierarchy. It shouldn’t matter. A person loves who that person loves, you know? It doesn’t make you better than someone else. It makes you a human being. I know people are going to be disappointed in me for not being who they want me to be. I know people are going to say I should be ashamed of myself and I shouldn’t hold myself up to be an example to today’s youth.’

Steve had paused and taken Tony and Bruce’s hands in each of his, the article described before going on with Steve’s comments. ‘Well, I’m not ashamed of who I am and I am proud to be an example for today’s youth, especially those who are queer as well. I know it’s hard to be your own person. It’s scary to stand up for yourself. And when people put you down and try and make you feel like there’s something wrong with you and you’re better off dead...well, they’re wrong. They’re so very wrong. There is nothing wrong with loving who you love and being who you are. As long as it’s consensual, as long as everyone knows what’s going on, you can love as many people as you want. I couldn’t choose between Tony and Bruce and I don’t have to. No one should have to choose, either. And for those critics who say I’m now Un-American, I’d like to remind them that people came to this country to escape oppression and to be themselves. That’s the heart of this nation. Everyone has a chance to be themselves. So I think they should rethink that. I think they should know that love is love.’

Steve sighed happily as he turned the page, smiling at the photos that Jarvis provided. There were quite a number of them,including the ones from the photo shoot, and he laughed at the photo of Coulson pulling Barton back with a finger at the collar around Barton’s neck. It was an unexpected move by Coulson and Barton’s look of surprise and Coulson’s smirk of glee had Steve laughing.

He looked up to see his fellow Avengers smiling as well, pointing out photos and answers to questions. Thor was commenting that he’d like to visit a man club again soon and see if anyone would recognize them. Barton responded with, ‘you want us to get mobbed, Odinson?’ 

Steve grinned and turned the page and gasped in surprise. Here were pictures of Pepper and Natasha posed together, both with clothes on and with very little on as well. From the noises the other men made, it was a surprise to them as well.

Natasha came into the room with Pepper behind her, holding Pepper’s hand and looking extremely pleased. Pepper looked as though the cat had the cream and the canary and was contemplating both.

‘When did this happen?’ asked Tony, a grin on his face. ‘Hey...nice gams there, Natasha. I’m used to seeing them in your leather outfit. And who knew that leather could hide so much? Yowza!’ he exclaimed, then yelped as Natasha pinched his upper arm. 

‘We contacted them on the sly. We wanted this to be a surprise. There’s an interview with us, too,’ pointed out Pepper happily. ‘They wanted to give us equal opportunity. Said that by having all of us in the photos, even Thor as an ally, it’d give the article even more punch.’

‘What is this ally you speak of?’ asked Thor.

‘An ally is someone who isn’t queer. Heterosexual in sexual identity but who supports and may have friends in the queer community,’ explained Pepper.

‘Ah. But I’m not hetero. I have had my moments of pleasure with my boon companions before. Why, there have been hunting trips in which I had nothing but my male companions with me. We frolicked amongst the woods. Drove off game for miles with our noise at times,’ mused Thor.

There was complete silence as everyone tried not to think of Thor, woods, men, and spooked wildlife.

‘Indeed. If I’d known, I would have been happy to have been with any of you by my side. You are all most pleasing to the eye, and I imagine would be enthusiastic and full of energy when it came to pleasure,’ enthused Thor.

Steve couldn’t meet anyone’s eye for fear of falling over and busting a gut with laughter. He managed to peek at Bruce’s face--Bruce looked agog--and lost it. He laughed until he cried. 

‘What is it?’ asked Thor with a grin.

‘Next....next time they want an update on us, we’ll have to include you, Thor. I am sure people would like to know what Asgardians like to do for pleasure,’ said Steve.

Thor considered Steve’s words. ‘Perhaps in a month? We must make plans to go to a man club first, to show them how it’s done.’

‘Well, that’s it! I’m in!’ exclaimed Barton. ‘I’m dying to educate other Midgardians on how they whoop it up, Asgardian style.’

Steve looked around at his fellow Avengers. They were all smiling and Coulson had his appointment book out to see when their next availability would be. Thor was all smiles and excitement. Pepper and Natasha lobbied for a visit to a female club as well. It looked like it would be quite the adventure.

Steve glanced down at the article and felt happy. He was glad he’d decided to speak up and talk about himself. He knew there’d be backlash but he didn’t care. He was doing this for the kids. He hoped that it would make a difference.

He felt a hand on his arm, and looked up to see Tony smiling at him. ‘He’d be proud of you, you know.’

‘Who?’ asked Steve.

‘Bucky. I bet he’d think you had balls, doing something like this,’ said Tony.

Steve smiled wistfully. ‘Yeah....he’d get a real kick out of it. And you’re right. He’d be proud of me. He’d say I showed a lot of guts.’

‘I’m proud of you, too. What you said in the article...thanks. You’re going to make a difference in some kid’s life, Steve. And you’re doing it as you, Steve Rogers, not Captain America. Hell of a job,’ said Tony with a nod. He reached up and held Steve to him, his arms pressing Steve in tight.

Steve held Tony back, sighing as Bruce joined them, and they held each other, their bodies leaning against each other. Steve felt peace for the first time in a long time. Nothing but contentment and an ache of happiness inside for everything he had.

He thought of kids in America and all over the world who wondered if they were OK. He thought of the kids who thought of killing themselves and of the bullies who feared something bad enough to lash out and hurt someone over it. He hoped that both would read his story and get strength, understanding, healing, and hope.

It was the best coming out gift he could have ever received.


End file.
